ARNE ENGELS is targeting Easter Sunday as his comeback date after missing nine consecutive games as Celtic stumbled in their pursuit of a fifth successive title.
The £11million Belgian international playmaker limped off with a thigh injury in the first-half of the last-gasp 2-1 win over Livingston at Parkhead on February 11 – and hasn’t been seen since.
Engels was forced to miss the 2-1 home loss to Hibs later that month and the dismal 2-0 defeat to Dundee United at Tannadice at the weekend. The double setback sees the champions trailing Hearts by five points and two adrift of Danny Rohl’s Ibrox outfit with only seven games to go.
COMING OUT ON TOP…Arne Engels wins a tussle with Mo Diomande in Celtic’s scoreless stalemate at Ibrox in August.
The Hoops lacked creativity in their disappointing performance against Jim Goodwin’s men on Tayside and Martin O’Neill will be hoping Engels will be able to provide that much-needed ingredient in the championship run-in.
The elegant midfielder was showing some fine form and had attracted THREE deadline-day bids from Nottingham Forest in the January transfer window, the last in the region of £25million.
He was deemed too valuable to be allowed to move – and then came the sickening injury against Livi.
Following the two-week international break, Celtic return to action against Dundee at Dens Park on Sunday April 5.
O’Neill is desperate to welcome back the accomplished 22-year-old middle-of-the-park performer and also admitted the player has dealt with the transfer bids and the injury with praiseworthy professionalism.
HEADS, I WIN…Arne Engels takes a knock in the face as he thumps in Celtic’s second and points-clinching goal in the 2-1 triumph over Hibs at Easter Road in November.
The interim manager said: “He never made an issue. It was what it was. The last offer we got, I didn’t realise until Michael Nicholson told me, was three hours before the deadline.
“A lot of players would be chomping at the bit saying ‘I want to go’ because he was going to be earning more money, he was going to be doing a lot of things like that.
“He’s not complained at all. It’s interesting sometimes, it’s only when somebody’s not playing do you actually miss them. I think that would be the case with Arne.
“But he’s keen to get back and I think after the international break, he should be ready.”
Emphasising the qualities of the Belgian, O’Neill, speaking to The Scotsman, continued: “He’s a strong runner.
“He had scored a goal against Hibs at Easter Road when he dived in and headed it. If he wants to be something, he’ll add a few more goals during the course of a season.
“A goalscoring midfield player is worth their weight in gold.”
MISERABLE…Alistair Johnston is hoping to put his problems behind him in title run-in.
There is more good news for the 74-year-old Irishman at a crucial stage of the campaign with the bulletin Alistair Johnston is making good progress with his hamstring problem.
The Canadian right-back’s season has been ravaged by injury, but he, too, could make a return at Dens.
On-loan striker Tomas Cvancara, who missed the trip to Tannadice, will be fit for the restart of the league term while skipper Callum McGregor will have benefited from his 57 minutes against United after missing back to back games.
O’Neill added: “Suddenly we are, for the most part, getting players back. The captain’s back and now there’s a wee bit of competition for places.”
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